The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-05
SCARED INTO OLD AGE.
REMA RKABLE CHANGE WROUGHT
IN A FEW MINUTES.
The Perilous Position of a Western
Pioneer Turns His Hair Snow White
A Startling Incident of the War
With the Sioux indians in 1875.

Pioneer Turns His Hair a Snow White
A Startling Incident of the Wal
With the Sioux indians in 1875.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
There are few persons who are really
aware of one of the leading causes which
prolonged the Sioux war Of 1876, and thai
led to the massacre of Custer and his brave
little band of soldiers on the banks of the
Little Big Horn. History, in attempting tc
trace up the different causes which led tc
this result, though endeavoring 10 give rea
sons, has apparently omitted to mention
one of the prime causes of the conflict, and
in cropping for snch information the reader
is generally left in obscure darkness. 1t is
strange, too, that this chief event, which
evidently precipitated war so much earlier
than it would otherwise have occurred
seems to have been either overlooked OF
neglected by the historian, and consequently
a large portion of some of the most impor-
tant and interesting events of those times
has passed by unnoticed or only treasured
up by those who participated, possibly to
appear at some future time, or perchance
he forgotten altogether
pioneers of Montana was Paul Mccormick,
now a resident of junction City, that Ter
ritory, and a merchant of considerable
wealth and influence His wife is an East
ern lady, handsome and intelligent, and
withal IA rare beauty and extremely youth
full in appearance. But what most strikes
the eve of the stranger on catching sight of
Mr. Mccormick and his lovely wife is that
the apparent difference in their ages is
ha
hair and whiskers being snow white, while
the latter's hair is jet black and glossy and
she possesses such fresh and rosy features
as to be easily mistaken for young maiden
of sweet sixteen instead of the better half
of a man whose head indicates 20 or so
winters. Nevertheless Mr.. Mccormick
face has bright, healthy look, and if you
will observe closely u will perhaps dis
cover that his features do do not really in
dictate more than few years past 80 Still,
on first impression you are far more in
clined to excaim to yourself, "What pity
to marry man old enough to be her grand
father"
Paul Mccormick was one of the foremost
pioneers of Montana, arriving there from
New York some time during 1860, when but a
young man in his teens" and late from
college. His parents were not only wealthy
and highly respected, but the father was
considered one of the most influential men
in the city in which he resided. The son
early displayed an uncommon love of adj
venture, which Mr.. Mccormick endeavored
in various ways to appease, but apparently
all his efforts were in vain, for Paul gave
up a most desirable position to accept a
clerkship with a Sioux Indian agent not
far from Fort Bufort, on the Upper Mis-
souri, river arriving at the new location
some time early in the summer of the year
mentioned.
Here he remained two years when, on re-
ceiving n more remunerative offer at Fort
Benton, the head of steamboat navigation
on that river, he gave up his former position
and proceeded thither. Shortly afterward,
however, he drifted to Alder Gulch or Vir-
ginia City, there being at that time much
excitement in consequence of the gold dis
coveries. From Alder Gulch he went to
Last Chance or Helena and later reached
Bozeman. These settlements were then the
only ones of any Importance within the
daring energy of Mccormick and a few
other individuals who at Bozeman con-
ceived the idea of an outlet east and through
the Indian country, then in possession of the
bloody Sioux.
twas desperate undertaking and fraught
with the most serious perils as that entire
section was then swarming with hordes of
hostile savages ready to pounce upon and de-
stroy any whites who might attempt to cross
or invade these domains. Nevertheless,
this did not deter these daring pioneers
from the enterprise, and accordingly two
boats were hastily constructed at Benson's
Landing, which, after being loaded with
goods, provisions, arms and ammunition,
fioated leisurely down the Yellowstone to
an unknown destination. These boats were
manned by over forty brave and sturdy
pioneers, but this did not prevent several
accidents, the voyage being one of great
peril, owing to the inexperience of the pilots
and the dangers attending navigation, the
course in this river being frequently very
swift and rapid.
Signs of Indians often became visible to
our adventures. But it was not until they
had reached the vicinity of Pompey's Pill
larsthat they realized their great danger
Here they discovered that the country was
swarming with the enemy, and ON coming
to tine conclusion that it would be impossible
to proceed very much further without in
curing great risk of not only losing their
property but their lives also at length
agreed to make landing and build some
kind of protection for defence. Accord
ingly they effected a landing on what is
now Capt. Woolfolk's ranch, one mile be-
low the present post office of Etchetah.
Here they felled trees and after weeks of
labor built fort 225 feet square, which
they named Fort Pease. in honor of Major
Pease, one of the most prominent outfitters
of the expedite IN. This fort when COM
pleted was o % of the strongest fortresses in
Montana, and sa 4 this gallant little band
from humiliation, as well as serving to
arouse the Sioux in a most bloody conflict.
For two days or more from the commence
ment of the erection of the fort the Indians
were apparently nonplused with surprise at
the boldness of the aggressors landing on
their reservation. Still, they refrained
during this time from molesting the party
of whites After that, however, for weeks,
and even months, the garrison was in a
constant state of siege, a portion of the in
mates acting as sentries or skirmishers on
the outskirts, while the balance built walls
and blockhouses, digging pits and trenches
until the fort was completed 1t was strongly
built, being surrounded by high stockade
of timber and having blockhouses and Gov
cred ways in the interior. Besides full
supply of the most modern .firearms the
pioneers had also brought along with them
a small six-pound cannon. The latter, how
ever, was of but little practical service, ex-
cept to make noise and waste gunpowder
After being besieged in Fort Pease fol-
some time it became evident to our adven-
turers that further supplies of provisions
etc. would be necessary to hold out against
the besiegers, and it was therefore deemed
important that some one of these daring
pioneers should volunteer to run the gaunt-
let and secure not only an ample supply OF
provisions and ammunition, but reinforce
ments also. 1t was 800 miles to Bozelnan
the nearest place of relief, and over lonely